From d7cc7bb225af8ee0741717bc993bddc8b99f13cb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: lmoresi <louis.moresi@anu.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2026 08:47:30 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 1/3] Say what is half-finished, without being asked

A deposit sat unrecorded for a fortnight. Nothing was broken and nothing
complained: the only thing that would have was the NEXT deposit, which
refused and made the backlog somebody's problem at the worst moment. The
weakness is not the manual steps -- a person merging the request to
deposit is the right design -- it is that a step can fail to happen and
leave no trace.

scripts/outstanding.py names the half-finished states: identifiers
written but never merged, a deposit asked for and never run, a note whose
version has moved past the copy on its DOI, an archival note published
without one, and a DOI with no record id. `pixi run outstanding` locally;
exit 1 if anything is outstanding.

A report nobody runs has the failure mode it was built to fix, so the
`outstanding` workflow runs it weekly and keeps ONE issue: opened when
something is outstanding, edited while it stays that way, closed when it
clears, and silent otherwise.

Detecting a note that has outrun its deposit needs a fact we were not
recording. `archived_at` says when a copy was taken, and a git timestamp
cannot tell a rewrite from a typo, so the deposit now stamps
`archived_version` -- the note's own version at the moment it was
deposited. `version != archived_version` is then exactly the state where
the DOI serves older text than the site. Backfilled for the 43 deposited
notes and added to the schema.

Running it found a second defect, unrelated to the first and invisible
until now: deposit-ready re-asks on every metadata change, because it
checked deposit-queue.txt (what was MERGED) and not what was already
open. One note had four open requests. Duplicate reminders are how a
reminder becomes something you scroll past, so it now counts an open
request as having asked.

Underworld development team with AI support from Claude Code
---
 .github/workflows/deposit-ready.yml           |  17 ++
 .github/workflows/outstanding.yml             |  88 +++++++++
 articles/2-11-scaling/metadata.yml            |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 articles/build-conda-packages/metadata.yml    |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../free-surface-in-underworld/metadata.yml   |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../particles-in-underworld3/metadata.yml     |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 articles/scaling-in-underworld/metadata.yml   |   1 +
 .../self-updating-repositories/metadata.yml   |   1 +
 .../setting-up-full-multigrid/metadata.yml    |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 articles/underworld-2/metadata.yml            |   1 +
 .../underworld-and-docker-part-1/metadata.yml |   1 +
 .../underworld-and-docker-part-2/metadata.yml |   1 +
 .../underworld-and-singularity/metadata.yml   |   1 +
 .../underworld-low-fat-cloud/metadata.yml     |   1 +
 articles/underworld-on-zenodo/metadata.yml    |   1 +
 .../underworld3-come-and-get-it/metadata.yml  |   1 +
 articles/untitled-2/metadata.yml              |   1 +
 articles/untitled/metadata.yml                |   1 +
 .../metadata.yml                              |   1 +
 articles/viscoelasticity/metadata.yml         |   1 +
 pixi.toml                                     |   6 +
 schemas/article-metadata.schema.json          |   5 +
 scripts/deposit.py                            |  10 +-
 scripts/outstanding.py                        | 180 ++++++++++++++++++
 tests/test_outstanding.py                     |  79 ++++++++
 50 files changed, 427 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
 create mode 100644 .github/workflows/outstanding.yml
 create mode 100644 scripts/outstanding.py
 create mode 100644 tests/test_outstanding.py

diff --git a/.github/workflows/deposit-ready.yml b/.github/workflows/deposit-ready.yml
index 08ad9a1..3105578 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deposit-ready.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deposit-ready.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,19 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Which notes have no DOI
         id: pending
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
+          # A request that is already OPEN counts as asked. deposit-queue.txt
+          # only records what has been merged, so without this the workflow
+          # re-asks on every metadata change and the same note accumulates
+          # requests -- four for one note, before this was noticed. Duplicate
+          # reminders are how a reminder becomes something you scroll past.
+          gh pr list --state open --limit 100 --json title \
+            --jq '.[] | select(.title | startswith("Deposit: ")) |
+                  .title | sub("^Deposit: "; "")' \
+            | tr ',' '\n' | tr -d ' ' | sed '/^$/d' > .already-asked || true
+          echo "already asked: $(tr '\n' ' ' < .already-asked)"
           SLUGS=$(pixi run -q python3 -c "
           import sys; sys.path.insert(0, 'scripts'); import deposit
           queued = set()
@@ -41,8 +53,13 @@ jobs:
                   if line: queued.add(line)
           except FileNotFoundError:
               pass
+          try:
+              queued.update(l.strip() for l in open('.already-asked') if l.strip())
+          except FileNotFoundError:
+              pass
           print(','.join(s for s in deposit.pending() if s not in queued))
           ")
+          rm -f .already-asked
           echo "slugs=${SLUGS}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "not yet queued: ${SLUGS:-none}"
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/outstanding.yml b/.github/workflows/outstanding.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..859f685
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/outstanding.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+name: outstanding
+
+# Every step of publishing here is deliberate: a person merges the request to
+# deposit, a person merges the identifiers that come back. That is the right
+# design, and its failure mode is that a step simply does not happen and
+# nothing says so. A deposit sat unrecorded for a fortnight because the only
+# thing that would have complained was the NEXT deposit -- which is the worst
+# possible moment to find out.
+#
+# So this asks the question on a schedule instead of relying on anyone
+# remembering to. It maintains ONE issue: opened when something is
+# outstanding, edited while it stays outstanding, closed when it clears. It
+# never opens a second one, and it says nothing at all when there is nothing
+# to say.
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    # Mondays, 22:00 UTC -- Tuesday morning in Canberra, so the week starts
+    # with the list rather than ending with it.
+    - cron: '0 22 * * 1'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  issues: write
+  pull-requests: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: outstanding
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  check:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: prefix-dev/setup-pixi@v0.8.1
+        with:
+          cache: true
+
+      - name: What is half-finished
+        id: check
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          set +e
+          pixi run -q python3 scripts/outstanding.py > report.txt
+          echo "count=$?" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          set -e
+          cat report.txt
+          {
+            echo "## Outstanding"
+            echo '```'
+            cat report.txt
+            echo '```'
+          } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+      - name: Open, update or close the one issue
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          TITLE="Publishing steps not finished"
+          NUM=$(gh issue list --state open --limit 50 \
+                  --json number,title \
+                  --jq ".[] | select(.title == \"$TITLE\") | .number" | head -1)
+
+          if [ "${{ steps.check.outputs.count }}" = "0" ]; then
+            if [ -n "$NUM" ]; then
+              gh issue close "$NUM" \
+                --comment "Nothing outstanding as of $(date -u +%Y-%m-%d). Closed automatically."
+              echo "closed #$NUM"
+            else
+              echo "nothing outstanding, no issue open -- saying nothing"
+            fi
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          BODY=$(printf '%s\n\n```\n%s\n```\n\n%s\n' \
+            "Steps that were started and not finished. Regenerated each Monday by the \`outstanding\` workflow; run \`pixi run outstanding\` to see the same thing locally." \
+            "$(cat report.txt)" \
+            "This issue closes itself when the list is empty.")
+
+          if [ -n "$NUM" ]; then
+            gh issue edit "$NUM" --body "$BODY"
+            echo "updated #$NUM"
+          else
+            gh issue create --title "$TITLE" --body "$BODY"
+          fi
diff --git a/articles/2-11-scaling/metadata.yml b/articles/2-11-scaling/metadata.yml
index 8f3406d..4c16880 100644
--- a/articles/2-11-scaling/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/2-11-scaling/metadata.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/3wz3c-c8w65
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193458
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /2-11-scaling/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/30-years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/30-years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld/metadata.yml
index 5159138..bbf6f93 100644
--- a/articles/30-years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/30-years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/hsp06-ag431
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193530
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /30-years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/adding-zotero-references-to-a-webpage/metadata.yml b/articles/adding-zotero-references-to-a-webpage/metadata.yml
index 6f1a2f2..4f6d175 100644
--- a/articles/adding-zotero-references-to-a-webpage/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/adding-zotero-references-to-a-webpage/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/qnz5b-4dt16
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193416
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /adding-zotero-references-to-a-webpage/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/ai-and-scientific-software-what-we-learned-rebuilding-underworld3/metadata.yml b/articles/ai-and-scientific-software-what-we-learned-rebuilding-underworld3/metadata.yml
index 01cf1a2..ddffedc 100644
--- a/articles/ai-and-scientific-software-what-we-learned-rebuilding-underworld3/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/ai-and-scientific-software-what-we-learned-rebuilding-underworld3/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/rmayz-81x80
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193560
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /ai-and-scientific-software-what-we-learned-rebuilding-underworld3/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/alaska-moho-model-reproducible-research-with-containers/metadata.yml b/articles/alaska-moho-model-reproducible-research-with-containers/metadata.yml
index eb81f56..6cedbb9 100644
--- a/articles/alaska-moho-model-reproducible-research-with-containers/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/alaska-moho-model-reproducible-research-with-containers/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/pn8gh-98592
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193410
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /alaska-moho-model-reproducible-research-with-containers/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/build-conda-packages/metadata.yml b/articles/build-conda-packages/metadata.yml
index 06bdd29..c6ffa23 100644
--- a/articles/build-conda-packages/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/build-conda-packages/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/7x9h6-y1x53
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193440
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /build-conda-packages/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/compressible-convection-in-cartesian-coordinates-in-underworld3/metadata.yml b/articles/compressible-convection-in-cartesian-coordinates-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
index d744393..793c247 100644
--- a/articles/compressible-convection-in-cartesian-coordinates-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/compressible-convection-in-cartesian-coordinates-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/g4ysn-pv176
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193527
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /compressible-convection-in-cartesian-coordinates-in-underworld3/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/constitutive-models-in-symbolic-form/metadata.yml b/articles/constitutive-models-in-symbolic-form/metadata.yml
index a07411d..0e7f4f4 100644
--- a/articles/constitutive-models-in-symbolic-form/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/constitutive-models-in-symbolic-form/metadata.yml
@@ -33,4 +33,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: 137d7c0a-1a6b-412b-a605-069137faac95
 repository_record_id: 33193590
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:28:12Z
diff --git a/articles/craton-formation-and-the-onset-of-plate-tectonics/metadata.yml b/articles/craton-formation-and-the-onset-of-plate-tectonics/metadata.yml
index 9810037..9b3d8fc 100644
--- a/articles/craton-formation-and-the-onset-of-plate-tectonics/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/craton-formation-and-the-onset-of-plate-tectonics/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/c4g09-htk29
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193398
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /craton-formation-and-the-onset-of-plate-tectonics/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/finding-particles-in-a-distributed-unstructured-mesh/metadata.yml b/articles/finding-particles-in-a-distributed-unstructured-mesh/metadata.yml
index 7c16c00..60c531c 100644
--- a/articles/finding-particles-in-a-distributed-unstructured-mesh/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/finding-particles-in-a-distributed-unstructured-mesh/metadata.yml
@@ -31,4 +31,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: 1b9677b5-5308-4c90-a192-d29aad4000b7
 repository_record_id: 33193611
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:28:42Z
diff --git a/articles/free-surface-in-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/free-surface-in-underworld/metadata.yml
index cca7908..ac7dc1b 100644
--- a/articles/free-surface-in-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/free-surface-in-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/1a3e6-3v712
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193503
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /free-surface-in-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/getting-started-60-seconds-to-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/getting-started-60-seconds-to-underworld/metadata.yml
index 49f0fe2..b7f9805 100644
--- a/articles/getting-started-60-seconds-to-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/getting-started-60-seconds-to-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/3y92k-n4v30
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193419
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /getting-started-60-seconds-to-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/getting-started-with-pull-requests/metadata.yml b/articles/getting-started-with-pull-requests/metadata.yml
index 7df7059..050f838 100644
--- a/articles/getting-started-with-pull-requests/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/getting-started-with-pull-requests/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/cj1d1-e4445
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193434
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /getting-started-with-pull-requests/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/how-many-processors-should-we-use-to-solve-problem-x/metadata.yml b/articles/how-many-processors-should-we-use-to-solve-problem-x/metadata.yml
index 4adb8cd..ca2fe6c 100644
--- a/articles/how-many-processors-should-we-use-to-solve-problem-x/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/how-many-processors-should-we-use-to-solve-problem-x/metadata.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/tjm5s-sfs33
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193554
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /how-many-processors-should-we-use-to-solve-problem-x/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/how-to-install-underworld-on-mac-osx-big-sur-apple-silicon-m1/metadata.yml b/articles/how-to-install-underworld-on-mac-osx-big-sur-apple-silicon-m1/metadata.yml
index a1b75c5..50a1f0a 100644
--- a/articles/how-to-install-underworld-on-mac-osx-big-sur-apple-silicon-m1/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/how-to-install-underworld-on-mac-osx-big-sur-apple-silicon-m1/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/8nsyv-btx30
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193455
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /how-to-install-underworld-on-mac-osx-big-sur-apple-silicon-m1/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/how-underworld3-turns-sympy-into-c/metadata.yml b/articles/how-underworld3-turns-sympy-into-c/metadata.yml
index 04a47fa..34df7e7 100644
--- a/articles/how-underworld3-turns-sympy-into-c/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/how-underworld3-turns-sympy-into-c/metadata.yml
@@ -38,4 +38,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: ba7cc108-239e-4371-8182-2316f9e2cf7c
 repository_record_id: 33193572
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:27:41Z
diff --git a/articles/ismip-hom-benchmark-experiments-using-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/ismip-hom-benchmark-experiments-using-underworld/metadata.yml
index 4d0e41e..4f23ef0 100644
--- a/articles/ismip-hom-benchmark-experiments-using-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/ismip-hom-benchmark-experiments-using-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/8196m-xmj49
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193518
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /ismip-hom-benchmark-experiments-using-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/mesh-variables-and-petsc-vectors-keeping-arrays-in-sync/metadata.yml b/articles/mesh-variables-and-petsc-vectors-keeping-arrays-in-sync/metadata.yml
index 586f0db..70f18de 100644
--- a/articles/mesh-variables-and-petsc-vectors-keeping-arrays-in-sync/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/mesh-variables-and-petsc-vectors-keeping-arrays-in-sync/metadata.yml
@@ -30,4 +30,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: 28b160de-c9a0-4942-9a7e-74c84d21c7a4
 repository_record_id: 33193578
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:27:52Z
diff --git a/articles/moving-the-mesh-without-remaking-it/metadata.yml b/articles/moving-the-mesh-without-remaking-it/metadata.yml
index a765a65..ae7a9df 100644
--- a/articles/moving-the-mesh-without-remaking-it/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/moving-the-mesh-without-remaking-it/metadata.yml
@@ -37,4 +37,5 @@ source: native
 repository_record_id: 33241170
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33241170
 archived_at: 2026-08-13T11:10:11Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-13T11:11:48Z
diff --git a/articles/new-features-of-the-surface-coupling-framework-in-underworld-2/metadata.yml b/articles/new-features-of-the-surface-coupling-framework-in-underworld-2/metadata.yml
index 601991d..5002d7b 100644
--- a/articles/new-features-of-the-surface-coupling-framework-in-underworld-2/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/new-features-of-the-surface-coupling-framework-in-underworld-2/metadata.yml
@@ -31,4 +31,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: ba04ae00-5f7f-4655-89ef-c58d6060c9c7
 repository_record_id: 33193557
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:27:06Z
diff --git a/articles/our-journey-from-underworld2-to-underworld3/metadata.yml b/articles/our-journey-from-underworld2-to-underworld3/metadata.yml
index e3a2620..84acebd 100644
--- a/articles/our-journey-from-underworld2-to-underworld3/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/our-journey-from-underworld2-to-underworld3/metadata.yml
@@ -41,4 +41,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: 6bfa4eab-e83e-4a57-8246-5c6ae2ecc353
 repository_record_id: 33193566
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:27:30Z
diff --git a/articles/particles-in-underworld3/metadata.yml b/articles/particles-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
index cc16c94..de7180c 100644
--- a/articles/particles-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/particles-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
@@ -31,4 +31,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: d7e1f38a-c62a-4b5f-bc55-0133fff3b2c3
 repository_record_id: 33193599
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:28:32Z
diff --git a/articles/physical-units-in-computational-geodynamics/metadata.yml b/articles/physical-units-in-computational-geodynamics/metadata.yml
index e83c228..097f69e 100644
--- a/articles/physical-units-in-computational-geodynamics/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/physical-units-in-computational-geodynamics/metadata.yml
@@ -33,4 +33,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: f8e03b51-3f07-4bfd-92bc-cf4f468b78a9
 repository_record_id: 33193587
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:28:02Z
diff --git a/articles/running-underworld-in-a-browser/metadata.yml b/articles/running-underworld-in-a-browser/metadata.yml
index 5387318..870b668 100644
--- a/articles/running-underworld-in-a-browser/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/running-underworld-in-a-browser/metadata.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33216996
 repository_provider: figshare
 repository_record_id: 33216996
 archived_at: 2026-08-31T17:36:06Z
+archived_version: 1.1.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-31T17:38:10Z
 subjects:
 methods:
diff --git a/articles/scaling-in-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/scaling-in-underworld/metadata.yml
index 80abebd..49a7f7a 100644
--- a/articles/scaling-in-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/scaling-in-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/qvgm0-yz754
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193452
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /scaling-in-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/self-updating-repositories/metadata.yml b/articles/self-updating-repositories/metadata.yml
index 323a108..f0d07f6 100644
--- a/articles/self-updating-repositories/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/self-updating-repositories/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/wftyb-vgs67
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193428
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /self-updating-repositories/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/setting-up-full-multigrid/metadata.yml b/articles/setting-up-full-multigrid/metadata.yml
index 9eeeb44..4044b81 100644
--- a/articles/setting-up-full-multigrid/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/setting-up-full-multigrid/metadata.yml
@@ -39,4 +39,5 @@ source: native
 repository_record_id: 33273984
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33273984
 archived_at: 2026-08-17T21:37:48Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-17T21:39:35Z
diff --git a/articles/setting-up-underworld-dependencies/metadata.yml b/articles/setting-up-underworld-dependencies/metadata.yml
index 7ccf419..c6fcf13 100644
--- a/articles/setting-up-underworld-dependencies/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/setting-up-underworld-dependencies/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/t7ghx-8f823
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193509
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /setting-up-underworld-dependencies/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/shear-bands-with-dilatancy-modelled-with-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/shear-bands-with-dilatancy-modelled-with-underworld/metadata.yml
index 7c94fe1..61256c1 100644
--- a/articles/shear-bands-with-dilatancy-modelled-with-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/shear-bands-with-dilatancy-modelled-with-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/awc90-63186
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193365
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /shear-bands-with-dilatancy-modelled-with-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/stress-recovery-in-underworld/metadata.yml b/articles/stress-recovery-in-underworld/metadata.yml
index 09321e2..60b4a49 100644
--- a/articles/stress-recovery-in-underworld/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/stress-recovery-in-underworld/metadata.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/97evt-ays09
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193446
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /stress-recovery-in-underworld/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/symbolic-time-derivatives-in-underworld3/metadata.yml b/articles/symbolic-time-derivatives-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
index 72c0b7d..fdc2c5e 100644
--- a/articles/symbolic-time-derivatives-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/symbolic-time-derivatives-in-underworld3/metadata.yml
@@ -32,4 +32,5 @@ source: ghost-migration
 ghost_uuid: 1eb496b6-8422-4b09-9443-2894629c35cf
 repository_record_id: 33193596
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 archive_published_at: 2026-08-10T04:28:22Z
diff --git a/articles/the-dynamics-of-continental-accretion/metadata.yml b/articles/the-dynamics-of-continental-accretion/metadata.yml
index de6361e..ff78023 100644
--- a/articles/the-dynamics-of-continental-accretion/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/the-dynamics-of-continental-accretion/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/73ded-8k350
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193179
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /the-dynamics-of-continental-accretion/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld-2/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld-2/metadata.yml
index 381bb42..94ef812 100644
--- a/articles/underworld-2/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld-2/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/fsmnk-jat73
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193233
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld-2/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-1/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-1/metadata.yml
index 45aef4f..4289da4 100644
--- a/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-1/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-1/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/y8762-pe280
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193329
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld-and-docker-part-1/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-2/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-2/metadata.yml
index efb6a3d..cae2911 100644
--- a/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-2/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld-and-docker-part-2/metadata.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/4cqwc-rth67
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193341
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld-and-docker-part-2/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld-and-singularity/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld-and-singularity/metadata.yml
index 632e1fa..fd222da 100644
--- a/articles/underworld-and-singularity/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld-and-singularity/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/hfgvn-dkk05
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193545
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld-and-singularity/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld-low-fat-cloud/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld-low-fat-cloud/metadata.yml
index 804b67b..752bd1e 100644
--- a/articles/underworld-low-fat-cloud/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld-low-fat-cloud/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/mw43c-vn265
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193422
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld-low-fat-cloud/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld-on-zenodo/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld-on-zenodo/metadata.yml
index 82b7d43..9c009b3 100644
--- a/articles/underworld-on-zenodo/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld-on-zenodo/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/at0ev-7re42
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193404
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld-on-zenodo/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/underworld3-come-and-get-it/metadata.yml b/articles/underworld3-come-and-get-it/metadata.yml
index 2d8d426..41e7f6d 100644
--- a/articles/underworld3-come-and-get-it/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/underworld3-come-and-get-it/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/z0c1r-rpg80
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193533
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /underworld3-come-and-get-it/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/untitled-2/metadata.yml b/articles/untitled-2/metadata.yml
index 38a13ac..8ed06a2 100644
--- a/articles/untitled-2/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/untitled-2/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/ts8za-rv858
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193380
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /untitled-2/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/untitled/metadata.yml b/articles/untitled/metadata.yml
index db55daa..b53e9f1 100644
--- a/articles/untitled/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/untitled/metadata.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/x638s-dpr14
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193386
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /untitled/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/using-python-virtual-environment-for-underworld-development/metadata.yml b/articles/using-python-virtual-environment-for-underworld-development/metadata.yml
index 89c6572..c09efbf 100644
--- a/articles/using-python-virtual-environment-for-underworld-development/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/using-python-virtual-environment-for-underworld-development/metadata.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/681vw-w9h32
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33193515
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /using-python-virtual-environment-for-underworld-development/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/articles/viscoelasticity/metadata.yml b/articles/viscoelasticity/metadata.yml
index d252b4e..b803722 100644
--- a/articles/viscoelasticity/metadata.yml
+++ b/articles/viscoelasticity/metadata.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ version: 1.0.0
 legacy_doi: 10.59350/3atx2-v4j54
 archive_doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.33191160
 archived_at: 2026-08-10T04:19:43Z
+archived_version: 1.0.0
 license: CC-BY-4.0
 canonical_path: /viscoelasticity/
 legacy_paths:
diff --git a/pixi.toml b/pixi.toml
index f8acce0..cce2b00 100644
--- a/pixi.toml
+++ b/pixi.toml
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@ test-unit = "pytest -q tests/"
 # densities whose right value depends on what the document is, and that is
 # the author's call rather than the build's.
 check-style = "python3 scripts/check_style.py"
+
+# What is half-finished: deposits started and not recorded, requests never
+# merged, notes that have outrun their archival copy. Exits 1 if anything is
+# outstanding, which is what lets the scheduled `outstanding` workflow raise
+# an issue. Not part of `test`: an unfinished deposit is not a broken build.
+outstanding = "python3 scripts/outstanding.py"
 test = { depends-on = ["test-unit", "validate", "test-dois", "test-assets"] }
 
 # Stage 0 migration tooling. Read-only against the live Ghost site.
diff --git a/schemas/article-metadata.schema.json b/schemas/article-metadata.schema.json
index f32faf1..055e603 100644
--- a/schemas/article-metadata.schema.json
+++ b/schemas/article-metadata.schema.json
@@ -253,6 +253,11 @@
       ],
       "description": "When the archival PDF was made, ISO-8601 UTC. Stamped by the deposit at the moment the copy is taken, and again for each new version, so it always names the snapshot the record actually holds."
     },
+    "archived_version": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "pattern": "^[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+$",
+      "description": "The note's `version` at the moment it was last deposited. `version` ahead of this means the note has outrun its archival copy and wants a new deposit."
+    },
     "archive_published_at": {
       "type": [
         "string",
diff --git a/scripts/deposit.py b/scripts/deposit.py
index 4dcd085..37a768b 100644
--- a/scripts/deposit.py
+++ b/scripts/deposit.py
@@ -616,8 +616,16 @@ def run(slug, provider, live, publish, new_version, delete_draft,
     if (new_version and rebuild) or not meta.get("archived_at"):
         stamp = datetime.datetime.now(datetime.timezone.utc).replace(microsecond=0)
         set_field(slug, "archived_at", stamp.isoformat().replace("+00:00", "Z"))
+        # The note's own version, recorded as deposited. This is what makes a
+        # STALE deposit visible: `version` moves when an author decides the
+        # content has materially changed, so `version != archived_version` is
+        # the note having outrun its archival copy. Nothing else in the
+        # metadata says that -- archived_at only says when the copy was taken,
+        # and a git timestamp cannot tell a rewrite from a typo.
+        set_field(slug, "archived_version", meta.get("version") or "0.0.0")
         meta = load(slug)
-        steps.append("stamped archived_at %s" % stamp.isoformat())
+        steps.append("stamped archived_at %s (version %s)"
+                     % (stamp.isoformat(), meta.get("archived_version")))
 
     # The reserved DOI has to be on the title page of the document it
     # identifies, so the PDF is rebuilt between reserving and uploading. In the
diff --git a/scripts/outstanding.py b/scripts/outstanding.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37e33ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/outstanding.py
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""What is half-finished right now.
+
+Every step of publishing a note is deliberate -- a person merges the
+request to deposit, a person merges the identifiers that come back -- and
+that is the right design. Its failure mode is that a step can simply not
+happen, and nothing says so. A deposit sat unrecorded for a fortnight
+because the only thing that would have complained was the NEXT deposit,
+which is exactly when it is least welcome.
+
+So this names the half-finished states. It reads metadata and, if `gh` is
+available, open pull requests; it changes nothing.
+
+    deposited, not recorded   an identifiers pull request is still open, so
+                              the repository does not know a record exists
+                              and the duplicate-mint guard is blind
+    asked for, not deposited  a deposit request is open on the queue
+    note ahead of its copy    `version` has moved past `archived_version`:
+                              the note has outrun what is on the DOI
+    never deposited           archival, published, and has no DOI
+    guard blind               an `archive_doi` with no `repository_record_id`
+
+Exit 1 if anything is outstanding, so a scheduled run can raise it.
+
+Usage:
+    python3 scripts/outstanding.py            # report
+    python3 scripts/outstanding.py --json     # for a workflow
+    python3 scripts/outstanding.py --no-net   # metadata only
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import pathlib
+import re
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+ROOT = pathlib.Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+ARTICLES = ROOT / "articles"
+sys.path.insert(0, str(ROOT / "scripts"))
+
+
+def field(text, key):
+    m = re.search(r"^%s:\s*(.+?)\s*$" % re.escape(key), text, re.M)
+    if not m:
+        return None
+    v = m.group(1).strip().strip('"').strip("'")
+    return None if v in ("null", "~", "") else v
+
+
+def open_branches(prefix):
+    """Open pull requests whose branch starts with `prefix`.
+
+    Returns None -- not [] -- when `gh` cannot answer, so the report can
+    say "not checked" rather than "nothing outstanding". The difference
+    matters: this exists because silence was mistaken for good news.
+    """
+    try:
+        out = subprocess.run(
+            ["gh", "pr", "list", "--state", "open", "--limit", "100",
+             "--json", "number,title,headRefName,createdAt"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=60, cwd=str(ROOT))
+    except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError):
+        return None
+    if out.returncode != 0:
+        return None
+    try:
+        prs = json.loads(out.stdout or "[]")
+    except ValueError:
+        return None
+    return [p for p in prs if p["headRefName"].startswith(prefix)]
+
+
+def survey(check_net=True):
+    import build_index
+    build_index.TYPES.update(build_index.article_types())
+
+    findings = {"unrecorded": None, "queued": None,
+                "stale": [], "undeposited": [], "blind": []}
+
+    for md in sorted(ARTICLES.glob("*/metadata.yml")):
+        slug = md.parent.name
+        text = md.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        meta = build_index.read_yaml(md)
+        doi = field(text, "archive_doi")
+        rid = field(text, "repository_record_id")
+        version = field(text, "version")
+        archived = field(text, "archived_version")
+
+        if doi and not rid:
+            findings["blind"].append(slug)
+        if not build_index.is_archival(meta):
+            continue
+        if not doi:
+            if field(text, "status") == "published":
+                findings["undeposited"].append(slug)
+            continue
+        # archived_version is absent on nothing after the backfill, but a
+        # note deposited by an older workflow would have none; say so
+        # rather than guessing it matches.
+        if version and archived and version != archived:
+            findings["stale"].append((slug, archived, version))
+        elif version and not archived:
+            findings["stale"].append((slug, "unrecorded", version))
+
+    if check_net:
+        findings["unrecorded"] = open_branches("deposit/identifiers-")
+        findings["queued"] = open_branches("deposit/queue-")
+    return findings
+
+
+def report(f):
+    lines, outstanding = [], 0
+
+    def head(title, n):
+        lines.append("")
+        lines.append("%s (%s)" % (title, n))
+
+    if f["unrecorded"] is None:
+        head("deposited, not recorded", "not checked -- gh unavailable")
+    elif f["unrecorded"]:
+        head("deposited, not recorded", len(f["unrecorded"]))
+        for p in f["unrecorded"]:
+            lines.append("  #%-5d %s  (opened %s)"
+                         % (p["number"], p["title"][:60], p["createdAt"][:10]))
+        lines.append("  -> merge these: until they land the repository does "
+                     "not know the records exist")
+        outstanding += len(f["unrecorded"])
+
+    if f["queued"]:
+        head("asked for, not deposited", len(f["queued"]))
+        for p in f["queued"]:
+            lines.append("  #%-5d %s  (opened %s)"
+                         % (p["number"], p["title"][:60], p["createdAt"][:10]))
+        outstanding += len(f["queued"])
+
+    if f["stale"]:
+        head("note ahead of its archival copy", len(f["stale"]))
+        for slug, was, now in f["stale"]:
+            lines.append("  %-52s deposited %s, now %s" % (slug[:52], was, now))
+        lines.append("  -> deposit a new version, or the DOI serves the "
+                     "older text")
+        outstanding += len(f["stale"])
+
+    if f["undeposited"]:
+        head("published, never deposited", len(f["undeposited"]))
+        for slug in f["undeposited"]:
+            lines.append("  %s" % slug)
+        outstanding += len(f["undeposited"])
+
+    if f["blind"]:
+        head("archive_doi with no record id", len(f["blind"]))
+        for slug in f["blind"]:
+            lines.append("  %s" % slug)
+        outstanding += len(f["blind"])
+
+    if not outstanding:
+        lines.append("Nothing outstanding.")
+    return "\n".join(lines).lstrip("\n"), outstanding
+
+
+def main():
+    ap = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__.splitlines()[0])
+    ap.add_argument("--json", action="store_true")
+    ap.add_argument("--no-net", action="store_true",
+                    help="metadata only; do not ask gh about pull requests")
+    args = ap.parse_args()
+
+    f = survey(check_net=not args.no_net)
+    text, n = report(f)
+    if args.json:
+        print(json.dumps({"outstanding": n, "report": text, "findings": f},
+                         indent=2, default=list))
+    else:
+        print(text)
+    return 1 if n else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/tests/test_outstanding.py b/tests/test_outstanding.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..be156d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_outstanding.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+"""The outstanding report names the half-finished states, and stays quiet
+otherwise.
+
+The negative controls matter more than usual here. This exists because
+silence was mistaken for good news, so a check that cannot answer must
+say so rather than report nothing, and a clean repository must produce
+no noise at all.
+"""
+import pathlib
+import sys
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(pathlib.Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+                       / "scripts"))
+import outstanding  # noqa: E402
+
+CLEAN = {"unrecorded": [], "queued": [], "stale": [], "undeposited": [],
+         "blind": []}
+
+
+def test_a_clean_repository_says_nothing():
+    text, n = outstanding.report(dict(CLEAN))
+    assert n == 0
+    assert text == "Nothing outstanding."
+
+
+def test_an_unanswerable_check_says_so_rather_than_nothing():
+    """None is not []. If gh cannot answer, the report must not read as
+    'nothing outstanding' -- that is the mistake this tool exists for."""
+    f = dict(CLEAN, unrecorded=None)
+    text, n = outstanding.report(f)
+    assert "not checked" in text
+    assert n == 0                      # unknown is not counted as outstanding
+
+
+def test_unrecorded_identifiers_are_reported_with_the_reason():
+    f = dict(CLEAN, unrecorded=[
+        {"number": 25, "title": "Deposit identifiers from run 1",
+         "createdAt": "2026-08-17T21:39:38Z"}])
+    text, n = outstanding.report(f)
+    assert n == 1
+    assert "#25" in text and "2026-08-17" in text
+    assert "duplicate-mint" in text or "does not know" in text
+
+
+def test_a_note_ahead_of_its_deposit_is_reported():
+    f = dict(CLEAN, stale=[("running-underworld-in-a-browser", "1.0.0", "1.1.0")])
+    text, n = outstanding.report(f)
+    assert n == 1
+    assert "deposited 1.0.0, now 1.1.0" in text
+
+
+def test_a_deposit_with_no_recorded_version_is_not_assumed_current():
+    """A note deposited before archived_version existed must be reported,
+    not silently taken to match."""
+    f = dict(CLEAN, stale=[("old-note", "unrecorded", "1.0.0")])
+    text, n = outstanding.report(f)
+    assert n == 1 and "unrecorded" in text
+
+
+def test_the_counts_add_up():
+    f = {"unrecorded": [{"number": 1, "title": "t", "createdAt": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"}],
+         "queued": [{"number": 2, "title": "t", "createdAt": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"}],
+         "stale": [("a", "1.0.0", "1.1.0")],
+         "undeposited": ["b"],
+         "blind": ["c"]}
+    _text, n = outstanding.report(f)
+    assert n == 5
+
+
+def test_the_real_repository_surveys_without_network():
+    """The metadata half must work with no gh and no network at all."""
+    f = outstanding.survey(check_net=False)
+    assert f["unrecorded"] is None and f["queued"] is None
+    assert isinstance(f["stale"], list)
+    # every deposited note carries archived_version after the backfill, so
+    # nothing should be reported as having an unrecorded deposit version
+    assert not [s for s in f["stale"] if s[1] == "unrecorded"], f["stale"]
+    # and validate already forbids a doi with no record id
+    assert f["blind"] == []

From 7c25078f6d7ba5bf5690dccfdfbf29e626677a1b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: lmoresi <louis.moresi@anu.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2026 12:05:25 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 2/3] A short slug was never truncated, so it has nothing to
 restore

The preview build died on this branch with "AMBIGUOUS: /underworld-2/
could belong to joss-publication-underworld-2 or underworld-2-10", an
ambiguity that does not exist: those are two different notes with two
different pages.

fix_slugs restores URLs MyST truncated at 50 characters, by matching a
slug against the pages that were built. A preview builds only the notes a
branch changes, so in a preview most slugs have no built page -- and this
branch's metadata backfill touched 43 articles, which made the build large
enough for three related slugs to be in play at once. Matched loosely,
`underworld-2-10` starts with `underworld-2` and
`joss-publication-underworld-2` ends with it, so both claimed the same
page and the second one to arrive raised the ambiguity.

Neither could have been truncated: both are shorter than the cap. So the
fix is to say that -- a slug at or under the cap is skipped, because there
is nothing to restore, and only a longer one is matched at all. The cap
is now a named constant rather than a literal in two places.

Underworld development team with AI support from Claude Code
---
 scripts/fix_slugs.py    | 17 ++++++++++++++++-
 tests/test_migration.py | 34 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/scripts/fix_slugs.py b/scripts/fix_slugs.py
index fd7b865..e00b4db 100644
--- a/scripts/fix_slugs.py
+++ b/scripts/fix_slugs.py
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 import shutil
 import sys
 
+# MyST truncates a page's URL at this many characters.
+SLUG_CAP = 50
+
 ROOT = pathlib.Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
 # Files whose contents may reference a page URL.
@@ -59,7 +62,7 @@ def main():
     # MyST would disambiguate with a numeric suffix. Catch that before renaming.
     prefixes = {}
     for slug in slugs:
-        key = slug[:50]
+        key = slug[:SLUG_CAP]
         prefixes.setdefault(key, []).append(slug)
     collisions = {k: v for k, v in prefixes.items() if len(v) > 1}
     if collisions:
@@ -72,6 +75,18 @@ def main():
     for slug in slugs:
         if slug in built:
             continue                      # already correct, nothing to do
+        # Only a slug LONGER than the cap can have been truncated. A shorter
+        # one that is missing from `built` simply was not built -- which is
+        # normal in a preview, where only the notes a branch changes are.
+        # Matching it by prefix or suffix anyway lets it claim somebody else's
+        # page: `underworld-2-10` starts with `underworld-2` and
+        # `joss-publication-underworld-2` ends with it, so on a partial build
+        # both claimed /underworld-2/ and the run died reporting an ambiguity
+        # that does not exist.
+        if len(slug) <= SLUG_CAP:
+            if slug not in built:
+                print("  (not in this build: %s)" % slug, file=sys.stderr)
+            continue
         heads = [b for b in built if slug.startswith(b) and b != slug]
         tails = [b for b in built if slug.endswith(b) and b != slug]
         candidates = heads + tails
diff --git a/tests/test_migration.py b/tests/test_migration.py
index 561edb4..d829403 100644
--- a/tests/test_migration.py
+++ b/tests/test_migration.py
@@ -2277,3 +2277,37 @@ def test_display_math_that_needs_a_blank_line_has_one():
                         "blank line before the `$$`."
                         % (path.name, opened + 1, risky[0].strip()[:40]))
                 opened = None
+
+
+def test_a_partial_build_does_not_let_one_slug_claim_anothers_page():
+    """`fix_slugs` restores URLs MyST truncated at 50 characters.
+
+    A preview builds only the notes a branch changes, so most slugs have no
+    built page at all -- and a slug SHORTER than the cap was never truncated,
+    so it has nothing to restore. Matching it by prefix or suffix anyway let
+    `underworld-2-10` and `joss-publication-underworld-2` both claim the built
+    page `underworld-2`, and the run died reporting an ambiguity that did not
+    exist. Seen on #42, whose metadata backfill touched 43 articles and so
+    made the preview a large partial build.
+    """
+    import importlib.util
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
+        "fix_slugs", ROOT / "scripts" / "fix_slugs.py")
+    fix_slugs = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(fix_slugs)
+
+    assert fix_slugs.SLUG_CAP == 50
+    built = {"underworld-2", "underworld-2-9"}
+    for slug in ("underworld-2-10", "joss-publication-underworld-2"):
+        assert len(slug) <= fix_slugs.SLUG_CAP, \
+            "the case only holds for slugs shorter than the cap"
+        assert slug not in built
+        # the old matching; what the fix must now refuse to act on
+        loose = ([b for b in built if slug.startswith(b) and b != slug]
+                 + [b for b in built if slug.endswith(b) and b != slug])
+        assert loose == ["underworld-2"], \
+            "this is the collision the fix exists to prevent"
+
+    src = (ROOT / "scripts" / "fix_slugs.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    assert "if len(slug) <= SLUG_CAP:" in src, \
+        "short slugs must be skipped before any prefix/suffix matching"

From f4056738a3d9911c1d324e2331b0de747fd29df3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: lmoresi <louis.moresi@anu.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2026 12:18:30 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] Match the two manglings MyST actually does, and nothing
 looser

The preview died on this branch reporting an ambiguity that does not
exist: "/underworld-2/ could belong to joss-publication-underworld-2 or
underworld-2-10". Those are three separate notes.

fix_slugs restores URLs MyST mangled, by matching a slug against the
pages that were built. A preview builds only the notes a branch changes,
so most slugs have no built page at all -- and this branch's metadata
backfill touched 43 articles, which put three related slugs in play at
once. Matched loosely, `underworld-2-10` claimed `underworld-2` merely by
starting with it and `joss-publication-underworld-2` by ending with it.

My first attempt at this was wrong, and the build caught it: I assumed
the only mangling was truncation at 50 characters and skipped every
shorter slug, which broke the fifteen that are mangled a different way.
MyST also drops a LEADING NUMBER, so `2-11-scaling` is served as
/scaling/ and `30-years-of-citcom-...` as /years-of-citcom-.../.

So both manglings are now matched exactly -- truncation only when the
slug is longer than the cap, and a leading strip only when what was
removed is a number -- and anything looser is refused. Checked against a
real full build: 43 slugs already correct, 15 renamed, none unmatched, no
ambiguity, and test-dois reports 50 resolved and 0 broken.

Underworld development team with AI support from Claude Code
---
 scripts/fix_slugs.py    | 31 ++++++++++++----------
 tests/test_migration.py | 57 ++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
 2 files changed, 51 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/fix_slugs.py b/scripts/fix_slugs.py
index e00b4db..8dcc4c8 100644
--- a/scripts/fix_slugs.py
+++ b/scripts/fix_slugs.py
@@ -75,20 +75,23 @@ def main():
     for slug in slugs:
         if slug in built:
             continue                      # already correct, nothing to do
-        # Only a slug LONGER than the cap can have been truncated. A shorter
-        # one that is missing from `built` simply was not built -- which is
-        # normal in a preview, where only the notes a branch changes are.
-        # Matching it by prefix or suffix anyway lets it claim somebody else's
-        # page: `underworld-2-10` starts with `underworld-2` and
-        # `joss-publication-underworld-2` ends with it, so on a partial build
-        # both claimed /underworld-2/ and the run died reporting an ambiguity
-        # that does not exist.
-        if len(slug) <= SLUG_CAP:
-            if slug not in built:
-                print("  (not in this build: %s)" % slug, file=sys.stderr)
-            continue
-        heads = [b for b in built if slug.startswith(b) and b != slug]
-        tails = [b for b in built if slug.endswith(b) and b != slug]
+        # MyST mangles a URL in exactly two ways, and matching anything looser
+        # lets one note claim another's page. On a preview -- which builds only
+        # the notes a branch changes, so most slugs have no page at all --
+        # `underworld-2-10` was matching `underworld-2` merely by starting with
+        # it, and `joss-publication-underworld-2` by ending with it, so both
+        # claimed /underworld-2/ and the run died on an ambiguity that does not
+        # exist. Neither is a mangling of the other; they are three notes.
+        #
+        #   truncation     the URL is cut at SLUG_CAP characters
+        #   leading strip  a leading NUMBER is dropped, so `2-11-scaling`
+        #                  is served as /scaling/ and
+        #                  `30-years-of-citcom-...` as /years-of-citcom-.../
+        heads = [b for b in built
+                 if len(slug) > SLUG_CAP and b == slug[:SLUG_CAP]]
+        tails = [b for b in built
+                 if b != slug and slug.endswith(b)
+                 and re.fullmatch(r"[0-9]+(-[0-9]+)*-", slug[:len(slug) - len(b)])]
         candidates = heads + tails
         if not candidates:
             print("  WARNING: no built page found for %s" % slug, file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/tests/test_migration.py b/tests/test_migration.py
index d829403..4391569 100644
--- a/tests/test_migration.py
+++ b/tests/test_migration.py
@@ -2280,34 +2280,45 @@ def test_display_math_that_needs_a_blank_line_has_one():
 
 
 def test_a_partial_build_does_not_let_one_slug_claim_anothers_page():
-    """`fix_slugs` restores URLs MyST truncated at 50 characters.
-
-    A preview builds only the notes a branch changes, so most slugs have no
-    built page at all -- and a slug SHORTER than the cap was never truncated,
-    so it has nothing to restore. Matching it by prefix or suffix anyway let
-    `underworld-2-10` and `joss-publication-underworld-2` both claim the built
-    page `underworld-2`, and the run died reporting an ambiguity that did not
-    exist. Seen on #42, whose metadata backfill touched 43 articles and so
-    made the preview a large partial build.
+    """`fix_slugs` restores URLs MyST mangled, and matches only the two ways
+    it actually mangles them: truncation at 50 characters, and dropping a
+    LEADING NUMBER (`2-11-scaling` is served as /scaling/).
+
+    Matched any looser, one note claims another's page. A preview builds only
+    the notes a branch changes, so most slugs have no built page at all, and
+    there `underworld-2-10` matched `underworld-2` merely by starting with it
+    while `joss-publication-underworld-2` matched by ending with it. Both
+    claimed /underworld-2/ and the run died on an ambiguity that does not
+    exist -- they are three separate notes. Seen on #42, whose metadata
+    backfill touched 43 articles and so made the preview a large partial build.
     """
     import importlib.util
+    import re as _re
     spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
         "fix_slugs", ROOT / "scripts" / "fix_slugs.py")
     fix_slugs = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
     spec.loader.exec_module(fix_slugs)
-
-    assert fix_slugs.SLUG_CAP == 50
+    cap = fix_slugs.SLUG_CAP
+    assert cap == 50
+
+    def candidates(slug, built):
+        heads = [b for b in built if len(slug) > cap and b == slug[:cap]]
+        tails = [b for b in built
+                 if b != slug and slug.endswith(b)
+                 and _re.fullmatch(r"[0-9]+(-[0-9]+)*-",
+                                   slug[:len(slug) - len(b)])]
+        return heads + tails
+
+    # the collision, on the partial build that exposed it
     built = {"underworld-2", "underworld-2-9"}
     for slug in ("underworld-2-10", "joss-publication-underworld-2"):
-        assert len(slug) <= fix_slugs.SLUG_CAP, \
-            "the case only holds for slugs shorter than the cap"
-        assert slug not in built
-        # the old matching; what the fix must now refuse to act on
-        loose = ([b for b in built if slug.startswith(b) and b != slug]
-                 + [b for b in built if slug.endswith(b) and b != slug])
-        assert loose == ["underworld-2"], \
-            "this is the collision the fix exists to prevent"
-
-    src = (ROOT / "scripts" / "fix_slugs.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-    assert "if len(slug) <= SLUG_CAP:" in src, \
-        "short slugs must be skipped before any prefix/suffix matching"
+        assert candidates(slug, built) == [], \
+            "%s must not claim another note's page" % slug
+
+    # and the two manglings that ARE real still resolve
+    assert candidates("2-11-scaling", {"scaling"}) == ["scaling"]
+    assert candidates("30-years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld",
+                      {"years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld"}) == \
+        ["years-of-citcom-ellipsis-and-underworld"]
+    long_slug = "a" * 60
+    assert candidates(long_slug, {"a" * cap}) == ["a" * cap]